Inishturk - Lough Coolaknick Loop

Walking Trail · Mayo

Inishturk - Lough Coolaknick Loop is a 4.9 km easy waymarked loop in Mayo, starting near Louisburgh.

Distance
4.9 km
Climb
100 m
Shape
Loop
Time
2 hours

Grade

Activity Grade Difficulty Time
Walking Easy Easy 2 hours

Getting there

Starts at Inishturk Island pier, near Louisburgh.

Directions to the trailhead

Trailhead coordinates
53.70533, -10.09031
Irish Grid reference
L 619 749
Ordnance Survey sheets
Discovery Series Sheet 37

The National Trails Register's own latitude and longitude fields are empty for all 1,186 trails on it. This trailhead comes from Sport Ireland's separate Trailheads dataset, matched to this trail on its register ID.

About the trail

This loop circles around Inishturk Island's Cairn Hill on surfaced roadways and sandy tracks and features a wide panorama of the mountains and islands of West Mayo and Connemara. It visits the lonely Lough Coolaknick and the lagoon of Portadoon is only a short off-trail detour accessed by a steep channel through cliffs to the sea.

Before you go

Please keep dogs under close control

Waymarking
Green arrow on yellow background
Dogs
Yes

Who manages it

Mayo County Council

Mayo County Council

Conditions and closures change. The operator is the authority on both, not this page.

Trails nearby

Measured trailhead to trailhead, in a straight line.

Common questions

How long is the Inishturk - Lough Coolaknick Loop?

4.9 km, recorded as a loop on Sport Ireland's National Trails Register. It climbs 100 m in total. Sport Ireland estimates 2 hours.

How hard is the Inishturk - Lough Coolaknick Loop?

Sport Ireland grades it Easy. Grades are set against national criteria, so they are comparable with other registered trails.

Where does the Inishturk - Lough Coolaknick Loop start?

Starts at Inishturk Island pier, near Louisburgh. The trailhead is at 53.70533, -10.09031 (Irish Grid L 619 749).

Can you bring a dog on the Inishturk - Lough Coolaknick Loop?

Yes. The register records dogs as allowed. Much of the Irish trail network crosses working farmland, so keep a dog under close control near livestock.

Who manages the Inishturk - Lough Coolaknick Loop?

Mayo County Council. They are the authority on current conditions and closures, not this page.

More in Mayo

Trail data from the Sport Ireland National Trails Register, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Trailhead coordinates from the companion Trailheads dataset. Snapshot taken 2026-08-13.